1871 . ] 
DENDROBIUM CHRYSOTIS.-PEACHES AND NECTARINES. 
145 
DENDROBIUM CHRYSOTIS. 
WITH AN ILLUSTRATION. 
^F this beautiful plant we are enabled to present our readers with a portrait, 
through the courtesy of Messrs. Brooke and Co., of Manchester, by whom 
it was flowered for the first time in this country in September last. It is 
a beautiful stove epiphyte, somewhat resembling Dendrobiiim fimbriatum 
oculatum (the so-called D. Pcixtoni of gardens), but differing in the much more 
deeply-cut fringe of the lip, in having on the disc of the lip two dark blotches 
instead of one, and more particularly in bearing its flowers on the yet leafy stems, 
the flowers of D. fimbriatum appearing on stems which have become ripened 
and leafless. It was imported from Assam. 
The stems are slender, rod-like, 3 ft. to 4 ft. long, bearing thin oblong-acute 
sessile leaves, while the large showy flowers form drooping spikes 6 in. to 9 in. 
long, and are of a bright orange-yellow colour, with two dark spots on the disc of 
the lip. The sepals and petals are ligulate, narrower than in D. fimbriatum , 
while the lip is more rhomboid, edged with a beautiful deep moss-like fringe. 
When exhibited in September last, at South Kensington, it obtained the award 
of a First-Class Certificate. We learn from Messrs. Brooke and Co. that its 
cultivation is similar to that of other Dendrobes, and that it requires plenty of 
heat.—T. M. 
PEACHES AND NECTARINES. 
|T is too cold and exposed here for Apricots ; I have given them up. My 
brick walls, about 170 yards in length, averaging 6 ft. in height, put up 
by myself, are devoted chiefly to Peach and Nectarine trees. The manage¬ 
ment of these trees gives me great amusement, especially as from the exposed 
situation my garden is more or less open to all four winds. I live on the 
apex of Okeford Fitzpaine, and the garden is only defended against the north 
and west winds. The difficulty therefore of securing a crop increases the interest. 
The crop of both these fruits last year was grand ; but this year the crop, though 
it is not altogether satisfactory, satisfies me ; for I expected nothing ! 
The south walls are the best cropped, the west walls are next best, and the 
east walls are the worst. The trees that bore little or no fruit last year have set 
their fruit best, and vice versa. From this I learn that moderate cropping is 
best. If a critical season should-follow heavy cropping, I am persuaded that 
the over-cropped tree will not set or hold its fruit so well as a tree which has 
been moderately cropped in the previous season. I have several proofs of 
it. An Early York Peach tree, that bore no fruit last year, is heavily laden 
with fruit this year. An Early Ascot Peach last year bore only two fruits ; 
this year it is heavily laden. The Marquis of Downshire Peach tree bore last 
year a heavy crop, this year it has few fruit. All these trees are on a south wall. 
3rd series.—IV. h 
